Implications of the Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision overturning "separate but equal."
I will look at the unequal advantage that students from middle or upper socio-economic
class families have over students from lower class families. All should be treated
equal, but some assignments or requirements put the students from poorer families
at a great disadvantage next to those from richer families.
When a science project or research assignment is given, those students from poorer
families will struggle to obtain all the supplies they need to complete the work.
If that child lives in a household without a computer and little extra money for
posters, markers, etc, it will be much more difficult for that student to do well
on the project. The student might be extremely resourceful and really work hard
and use what they have and turn in the project neat, complete and on time. It
will face stiff competition from a project done on fancy poster board with color
laser printed materials. Both assignments will be complete, but one will look
much nicer only because that student's family could afford the fancy stuff. Hopefully,
the teacher will evaluate the work according to the effort and content and not
just judge the looks of the projects. Unfortunately, many times the pretty one
will get a top grade and the plain one will score average. This is NOT equal treatment.
I think it would all come from the teacher's training and awareness to be able
to look beyond the outside and see the inside and judge the project fairly. This
teaches a valuable lesson to not judge the outside of anyone or judge them by
their socio-economic status of race or ethnic origin or any other factor. Also,
the school could help provide resources for these students to use there at school
to help with such assignments. Then it would narrow the gap of what these students
have to use to make the projects nicer looking. So, in conclusion, I think this
ruling could effect the perception teachers have on their students. Things are
not equal all the time in any school. It will be up to the individual teacher
to try their best to have a fair and impartial classroom where all students do
feel comfortable and respected. The teacher must also examine their own biases
and strive to treat all students equally within their own classrooms.
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